Just Right
by badly-knitted
Summary: Ryo's been baking, and for once Bikky and Dee agree about something. Set early in the manga. Written for fic promptly.


**Title:** Just Right

 **Author:** badly-knitted

 **Characters:** Bikky, Ryo, Dee.

 **Rating:** G

 **Setting:** Early in the manga.

 **Summary:** Ryo's been baking, and for once Bikky and Dee agree about something.

 **Word Count:** 673

 **Written For:** My own prompt 'Any, any, Lemon meringue pie,' at fic_promptly.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own FAKE, or the characters. They belong to the wonderful Sanami Matoh.

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Arriving home from school, Bikky sniffed the air as he entered the kitchen, his mouth starting to water at the deliciously fruity aroma wafting on the air. "What's cooking?" he asked, grabbing a cookie from the jar on top of the refrigerator and wandering over to the stove to peer into the pan Ryo was busily stirring.

"Thought I'd make a lemon meringue pie for dessert today."

A dubious expression crossed Bikky's face. "It smells lemony, but it doesn't look much like a pie to me."

Ryo smiled down at his foster son. "This is just the bottom part of the filling. The pie case is baking in the oven, and when that's done I'll pour this into it and whip up the meringue."

"Sounds complicated."

"It does take a bit of organisation, but it's well worth it. Do you have homework?"

Bikky heaved a sigh. "Yeah. Don't I always?"

"Well, you'd better get on with it then, so you don't have as much to do after dinner."

"I suppose." Heaving another resigned sigh, Bikky trailed to the refrigerator, poured himself a glass of milk, and wandered back into the lounge to start his homework.

Dinnertime arrived, and so did Dee, much to Bikky's annoyance. He was sure the Perv must have some kind of sixth sense that kicked in when food was available. Either that or Ryo kept inviting him over, which made no sense what with them working together all day.

"Does he have to be here?" he complained.

"Hey, I gotta eat too!" Dee retorted.

"Yeah, but you could eat somewhere else."

"Why'd I want to do that? Ryo's the best cook I know. Besides, he said it was okay." Dee grinned like he thought he'd won that argument. As if! Bikky would have thought up a really wicked comeback, honest he would, only he didn't get the chance.

"Go wash your hands, Bikky," Ryo called out. "I'm dishing up."

"Okay, I'm going." Bikky glared at Dee before dashing off to the bathroom, but was back less than two minutes later, unwilling to leave his foster father alone with the Perv for too long. Sliding into his chair, he picked up his knife and fork and declared, "So what're we waiting for? Let's eat!"

The main course was great, as always, Ryo had made one of his casseroles, but after he cleared away the plates from that and brought out the pie…

"Wow!" Bikky stared at it wide-eyed; the meringue looked like a lightly browned but snowy range of mountains. It almost seemed a shame to cut into it and spoil it. Dee seemed to think so too.

"Quite the work of art you've got there; maybe you should have it framed! Except then we wouldn't get to taste it."

Ryo smiled. "Let's hope it tastes as good as it looks. I've never tried making one from scratch before, I usually buy the filling ready-made." Ryo cut carefully into the pie, shattering the meringue peaks, and dished a generous portion onto each of three plates. The kitchen filled with the sharp tang of lemon, and Bikky's mouth started watering again.

"It smells really good."

The Perv wasn't waiting around; he already had his big mouth full, his eyes closed, and a dreamy expression on his face. "Man, this tastes amazing!"

"Not too sour?" Ryo asked, picking up his spoon to sample it himself.

"Nope," Bikky replied for Dee, having just tried a spoonful from his own plate. "Just sour enough."

"Not too sweet either," Dee affirmed. "It's just enough to balance out the sharpness of the lemon."

"Hmm." Ryo took a bite himself. "The crust's harder than I would've liked, I think I left it a bit too long before adding the filling."

"I like it crunchy," Dee told him. "Don't be so hard on yourself; this is great!"

"Yeah!" Bikky agreed. "It's awesome!"

Ryo smiled. It wasn't often Bikky and Dee agreed on anything, so that made a pleasant change. Looked like he'd be baking lemon meringue pie again.

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The End


End file.
